SHOW MY SCALP SOME LOVE.

We love summer, but it does come with a whole new set of challenges for our hair and scalp. That’s why we sat down with Alison Cutlan (she/her), VP of Scientific Innovation, and Kseniya Popova (she/her), executive director of R&D and Innovation at The Rootist, to get their advice on keeping scalp care during the hottest of hot months. From tackling sweat and oil to protecting against UV damage, they’re sharing all the secrets to maintaining luscious locks all season long.

The Rootist’s fermented hair care line is gaining a lot of attention. Can you explain the science behind fermentation and how it enhances the efficacy of hair care ingredients?
ALI: Fermentation is a transformative process where beneficial microbes break down ingredients, making their nutrients more bioavailable and easier to absorb. This process also produces highly nutritious compounds like vitamins, antioxidants, and amino acids that nourish and protect your roots and hair while supporting a healthy scalp barrier by promoting good bacteria and reducing inflammation.

What inspired the brand to forgo traditional silicones and water-loaded products in favor of concentrated formulas powered by fermentation?
KSENIYA: We set out to challenge existing status quos on what is good for your roots, scalp, hair as well as the environment. We are inspired by the powers of biology and ecosystems when we formulate our products. We think fermentation is a beautiful transformative process that unlocks elements previously unavailable. Our goal was to transform the hair space to be truly beneficial for the roots, scalp, and hair, but also push the industry towards creating greener products that consider what happens to them when they go downstream past the shower drain.

Tell us about the Rootbiomic Ferment! What benefits does it provide for roots, scalp, and hair? 
ALI: Our Rootbiomic Ferment is like “the ultimate superfood” for hair and makes up the foundation of every Rootist formula. This powerful blend features 8 clinically proven botanicals—specifically chosen for their action on roots, scalp and hair—that are taken through a unique fermentation process with probiotic bacteria to enhance their bioactivity, efficacy, and nutrition. The resulting “super-brew” works synergistically to strengthen, nourish, and protect the root, scalp, and hair, transforming the hair’s overall health from the core.

Sustainability is a key part of The Rootist’s ethos as well. How do you ensure your products and packaging are both effective and environmentally friendly?
KSENIYA: When developing products, it’s crucial that they don’t require a compromise in performance, ease of use, or aesthetics when being more environmentally conscious. It was a painstaking process of many iterations to get right so that we could have a win-win scenario. We selected the right ingredients made using green chemistry and biotechnology while formulating using green formulation principles. We selected aluminum and glass packaging with refill options. In general, the approach was to create the next generation highly efficacious products for the user with an improved environmental profile.

What are the most common scalp care concerns that you see during the summer time?
KSENIYA: The summertime creates the perfect conditions for sweatier, oilier scalps due to high heat and humidity. This could lead to flakes in the form of dandruff and itchiness, or it could lead to the opposite, flakes from dryness. This is because during summer months, people tend to wash their hair and scalp more frequently due to feeling more “gross.” This could lead to dryness and irritation for the scalp, and drier-feeling, frizzier hair. UV damage is also possible on scalp and hair, which could cause skin damage and leave hair feeling weaker and more brittle. And, of course, chlorine pool water or salty sea water could promote further hair damage, disrupt scalp microbiome, and lead to dry scalp.

How can one protect their scalp in the heat?
KSENIYA: To ensure scalp skin and hair feel and look their best, we recommend BioBrew Fermented Strengthening Serum, which helps mitigate the negative consequences of summer behaviors. Biobrew supports the scalp barrier and treats the hair strands to repair the damage and reduce frizz while also nourishing the scalp and hair to prevent future damage. We also recommend our Dry Shampoo Powder, which is very convenient to take on-the-go and apply when you’re feeling most sweaty and oily in the scalp. Our dry shampoo absorbs both sweat and sebum allowing you to prolong the number of days between hair washing, thereby reducing potential for scalp disruption and hair damage.

What’s a scalp care mistake you often see that you’d advise against?
KSENIYA: Washing your scalp too frequently because of feeling and looking “oily” creates a vicious cycle when using harsh shampoos because it strips all the oils and causes your skin to produce more oil, so you feel oilier and wash more frequently. It’s better to rebalance oil using a clarifying serum or dry shampoo to prolong time between washes. Also, try to use a more treatment-based shampoo.